JP2012509215A5 - - Google Patents

Claims (12)

Sealing the fiber preform in a vacuum bag,
Installing at least one foldable resin filled bag in the vacuum bag, and fluidly connecting the resin filled bag and the fiber preform through a supply line;
The resin is injected into the fiber preform by allowing the resin to flow from the resin-filled bag to the fiber preform.
The resin-filled bag and the fiber preform are maintained under substantially the same vacuum, where the injected resin does not form substantially any pressure gradient in the fiber preform,
And
The step of curing the resin-injected fiber preform :
A process for producing a composite comprising The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of debulking the fiber preform prior to the injecting step. The resin-filled bag comprises a resin having a high viscosity of 3000 to 20000 cp at ambient temperature, which prevents the resin from flowing into the fiber preform at room temperature; and
The resin is further heated before the injection stage to reduce the viscosity and allow the resin to flow into the fiber preform during the injection stage.
The method according to claim 1. In addition, one or more additional folding resin filled bags are installed in the vacuum bag and they are connected in series, or each resin filled bag and fiber preform are in fluid communication via separate supply lines. The method of claim 1 wherein: The method of claim 1, wherein the supply line further comprises a valve, wherein the valve is closed prior to the injection stage and opened during the injection stage to allow the resin to flow to the fiber preform. The method of claim 1 or 5, wherein the resin filled bag comprises a resin having a viscosity of 50 to 700 cp at ambient temperature. The method of claim 1, wherein the pouring step further comprises the step of mechanically pushing the resin through the fiber preform. The method in any one of Claims 1-7 whose vacuum pressure is 1 atmosphere or less. 9. A method according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the composite has a porosity of between 0.1 and 1.5% by volume based on the total volume of the composite after curing. An apparatus for vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding under constant pressure,
One or more vacuum bags,
A fiber preform sealed in one vacuum bag,
A foldable resin filled reservoir sealed in a second vacuum bag, wherein the resin filled reservoir is in fluid communication with the fiber preform; and
Means for maintaining the resin-filled bag and the fiber preform under substantially the same vacuum, where the injected resin forms virtually no pressure gradient in the fiber preform
Including the device. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the foldable resin filled reservoir is a foldable resin filled bag. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the resin filled reservoir is a piston driven reservoir.